Suction cleaner



Feb- 4, 1941- D. G. sMELLxE 2,230,703

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. .17, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 l@miamivnd/11:9

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ATTORN EY v Feb. 4, 1 941.

D. G. slm-:Luz

SUCTION CLEANERV Filed Feb. 17, '1954 2 Sheets-.Sheet 2 ana/d 6'. Sme/[de ATTO RNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES i PATENT oFElcE SUCTION CLEANER Donald G. Smellie, Canton, Ohio, asdgnor to The Hoover Company, North Canton,

poration of Ohio Ollio, a oor- Appuuuon February 1v, 1934, sesamo. 111,669

12 Claims.

" 5 from the end of the propelling handle. More specitically the invention comprises the provision of a lsuction cleaner provided with a pivoted handle which incorporates manually operable means to raise and lower certain of the supporting wheels o! the cleaner for the purpose of adjusting the nozzle height relative to the surface covering undergoing cleaning.

' It is an object of the present invention to prot vide a new and improved nozzle-height adjusting means. It is another object to provide a new and improved suction cleaner in which the nozzle heightis adjustable by means positioned upon the cleaner handle. A still further object is the provision of a suction cleaner provided with a pivoted handle which'I includes manually operable means which permit the operator to adjust the nozzle height while standing upright. These and other more speelde objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a modern suction cleaner embodying the present invention;

Figure 21s an enlarged top view of the cleaner proper shown in Figure l with certain parts broken away; Y

Figure 3 is a side elevation with certain parts broken away;

Figure 4 is a partial section upon the line l-i of Figure 3;

Figure 511s a side view of the end oi the cleaner handle, being shown partly in section;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the manually operable height adjusting element carried by the cleanerv handle;

Figure 'l is a section upon the line l-l of Figure 5; Y Figure 8 is a. transverse cross-section through the cleaner handle upon the line oi.'l Figure 5; Figure 9 is a section upon the 'line 9 3 of Figure 5. f

The usual suction cleaner embodies means t adjust the height oi the cleaner nozzle relative to the surface covering undergoing cleaning which are positioned upon the body proper oi the cleaner. Height-adjusting means for the nozzle are required because o! the variation in the various types of floor coverings. With one type supporting surface into contact with the nozzle of door covering the supporting means or wheels of the cleaner sinkinto the pile of the covering to a greater or lesser distance than in another type of covering. This diii'erence causes the noz- 5 zle to be positioned at diierent elevations. Also, certain coverings are heavier than others and the nozzle must be positioned closer thereto in order that the suction can lift the. covering from the lips so that the cleaning air entering the nozzle o under the lips will pass through the pile of the covering. This lifting is also necessary where surface-agitatmg means are positioned within the nozzle as such means are adapted to :function upon that part o! the covering which is lifted u from its contact with the supporting surface.

With the nozzle-height adjusting means p0- -sitioned upon the body of the machine it is necessary i'or the operator to bend over each .time he desires to adjust the nozzle height. sa the sue- 2@ tion cleaner constructed in accordance with applicants invention means have been provided which makes possible the adjustment of the nozzle height with the operator standing upright. This is accomplished through providing a nozzle adjustment means including a manually operable element, positioned near the end ci the cleaner handle, which is connected by power transmitting means to the cleaner proper and so to the i'ron't supporting wheels which it is adapted to raise and lower.

Referring again to the drawings ay modern suctloneleaner isV shown which con-lomos a nozzle i, a tan chamber 2, an interconnecting passage way therebetween, imiicatedv by the reference 35 character i, and an exhaust outlet t to which is attached the dust bag E. A driving motor El ls positioned Within theirnotor casing l md carnes upon the extended end oi its shaft the suctioncreating ian 8 in the fan chamber 2. The oppo= site end of the motor shaft is formed as o pulley Q and is connected to a power-transmitting belt i8 which extends to the nozzle l through a channel or passageway il. Within the nozzle i, and rotatably supported, is an agitator it? of a well mown type including rigid beating elements and ilexible brush elements. Agitator i2 is provided with a pulley surface i3 which connects with the belt it so that the rotation of the motor results in the rotation of the agitator. 5@

e The cleaner body is mov/'ably supported upon spaced pairs ot iront and rear supporting wheels the machine while the iront wheels are carried '55 y its lower end `to the cleaner body and which is provided at its upper end with a grip member I8 by which the operator grasps the handle when propelling the machine. The grip member I9 is preferably of insulating material, as the incom ing power leads 20, 20 enter the handle at that point. These leads pass through a manually operable switch 2I` which is conveniently located relative to the handle and immediately arklaoent thereto, down the tubular handle body, and into the motor casing to be connected to the motor 8.

closing insulating member 22. vMember 2I is The lower en of the tubular member of the handle I8 seats within a pivoted forked socket member 2|, being insulated therefrom by an inforked immediately below the socket portion and 'its arms 23, 23 inclose and seat upon a transversely extending hollow supporting shaft or axle, 24 which is itself rotatably mounted in spaced seats 25, 25 formed on the top of the cleaner bodyTA and more specifically `upon the top of the exhaust outlet 4 immediately behind the motor casing 1. The spaced arms 23, 23 of the socket member 2| extend along the outery sides of the seat members25, V25, the shaft member 24 extending through the seats and then through the arms. The relationship is made permanent by means of a removable nut member 23 which seats in screw` threaded relationship with one end of shaft 24 and clamps one of the arms 23 against an outwardly facing circular shoulder 21 formed on the shaft 24. The arm 23, being clam`ped to the shaft 24. causes that member to rotate as the handle is pivoted. o

A spring-pressed plunger 23 is slidably positioned within the hollow shaft 24 and is-resiliently urged to the end thereof to which the nut 23 is attached. The ends of the plunger are of reducedsize, one end being square in crosssection, as indicated at 23, and extending through a similarly formed socket in its end of the enclosing shaft 24. This relationship prevents relative rotation between the plunger and its enclosing socket member. The opposite end of the plunger is formed as an elongated reduced element 33 and is surrounded byy a spiral coiled spring 3| which contacts the plunger body 23 at its enlarged portion and, at its opposite end, the closure nut member 32 seated in screw threaded relationship with the end of hollow shaft 24. The plunger 23 is also provided with a centrally positioned sloping cam face 33, for a reason which will hereinafter be made apparent. The crank arm I3 is provided with a rigid upstanding lever arm 33 to which is pivotallyconnected a shaft or plunger .member 34. The opposite end of shaft 34 pivotally connects to one side `of a V-shaped lever element 35 which is pivoted at 33 closely adjacent the outer 'end of plunger 23. The opposite side of the V-shapedV lever extends into contact with the end of the plunger. V-shaped lever 35 is held in contact with the outer end of plunger 23, outside the nut 32. by means of acoil spring 31 which is carried by the crank shaft I3v and which contacts the lever arm 33 and the cleaner body to move the shaft 34 in the direction of the V-shaped lever. Clearly the movement of plunger 28 to pivot the V-Shaped lever 35 will result inthe assonos raising and lowering of the nozzle wheels as its movement is directly transmitted to the crank shaft through the power-transmitting means just described.

To accomplish the pivotal movement of` the V-shaped lever 35, and more directly the transverse movement 'of the plunger 23, there is provided near the top of the handle I3 an inclosing manually rotatable cylindrical member 40. Member 40 is internally-screw threaded at 4I and incloses in screw-threaded relationship an element 42 which encircles the handle I8. The

rotation of the member 4I) functions to move it' up or down the handle, the element 42 being,

rigidly secured to the handle. A rigid rod 43 extends down the handle I8 from the member 40, being provided at its lower end with a wedge member 44 which slidingly seats within a seat 45 on member 2I, and which extends through an opening 46 in hollow shaft 24 with its inclined end or wedge in contact with the cam face 33 of plunger 28. The.angle of inclination of the cam face 33 of the plunger and of the inclined end of wedge 44 are the same so that they make`line contact, forming in effect cooperating cams, the plunger being heldin contact with the wedge through the action of its coil spring 3l.

'I'he upper end of rod 43 is carried by a block 41'which is exteriorly shaped to conform to the inner dimensions of handle I8 so that it can slide therein. Radially extending plugs 43. 48 extend through the handle I3 at longitudinally extending slots 50, I) formed therein and into a circular internal channel or groove 5I formed in rotary member 43. Channel 5I is provided with an opening 52 at one point which permits of the removal of screws/49, 43, and so the plugs 48, 43, when aligned Aradially therewith.

An indicating mechanism is formed upon the handle which comprises a longitudinally extending opening 53 which is narrowed at a central point to indicate nozzle positions upon 'a slide member 54, carried by and movable with the rod 43 and the block 41. On the Aoutwardly facing surface of slide 54 are marked the letters H, M, and L, which indicate that with the adjustment related so'that the central pointer indicates one of the letters, the nozzle is I-Iigh, Low or Medium." 4

The incoming power leads 20, 20 which enter the handle above the manually adjustable member 42 pass by the block 41, in a conduit 55 formed in one side of the handle, the block being recessed to accommodate the conduit. At the lower end of the handle the leads extend outwardly therefrom at the socket 2|, a removable plug and socket construction 58 being provided at that point.

, As in the usual cleaner construction handle-posinon-controlling means are provided and com'- vprise an arcuate sector 51, carried rigidly by an varm 23 of the socket member 2l, and a cooperate vthis member serves to move the rod 43 either up or down within the handle. the moving force being transmitted to theblock bythe legs 43. 43.,

If the operator desires to place the nozzle in a nigh position, that indicated by the letter H in Figure 6, he rotates the element 40 so as to cause slide 54 to move downwardly to bring the letter 5 H opposite the narrowed part of the slot 53. .As the plunger also movesdownwardly with the slide the wedge 44 is advanced relative to the plunger 28. Plunger 28 is moved outwardly by the wedge resulting in the pivotal movement, in

a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, of the V-shaped lever 35. Lever 35 functions to move shaft '34 towards the crank shaft and the lever arm 38, to which it is pivotally attached, is moved counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 2. This results in the downward movement of the crank shaft wheels and the raising of the nozzle. f'

To lower the'nozzle the operation is exactly the reverse. vRotation of element 40 in the opposite direction results in the movement of rod 4l upwardly in the handle and the withdrawal of wedge 44 permits plunger 28 to move inwardly under the force exerted by spring 25. Coil spring 51 carried by the crank shaft i6 urges the crank shaft and the front supporting wheels i4, Il to the uppermost position permitted by the contact of the V-shaped wedge 35 with the end of plunger I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner,l a body including av nozzle, supporting wheels, means mounting said wheels on said body, a handle pivoted to said body, and means to adjust said wheels relative to said body to raise and lower said nozzle, said means comprising a plunger positioned at the pivotal axis of said handle, a longitudinally movable member extending through said handle from said plunger to a point near the upper end thereo of, rotating means on said handle to move selectively said longitudinally movable member up or down said handle, and means connecting said plunger to said wheel-mounting means to adjust said wheels relative to said body upon movement s of said plunger.

2. In a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle, supporting wheels, means movably mounting said wheels on said body, a handle pivoted to said body, and means to adjust said wheels relative to said body to raise and lower said nozzle, said means including a longitudinally movable member carried by said handle, means to move said member, a member movable transversely to said handle in the pivotal axis of said g5 handle and connected to said longitudinally mov- Vable member, and means connecting said transversely movable member to said wheel-mounting means to move same relative to said body upon movement of said transversely movable member.

w 3. In a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle, supporting wheels, means movably mounting said wheels on said body, a handle pivoted to said body, and `means to adjust said wheels relative to said body to raise and lower 05 said nozzle, said means including a longitudinally movable member carried by said handle and provided with cam means at its lower end, a transversely movable member in the pivotal axis of said fhandle provided with cooperating cam 70 means, and power-transmitting means connecting said transversely movable member t'o said wheel-mounting means to adjust said wheels relative to said body upon movement-of said longitudinally movable member. 1l 4. In a suction cleaner, a body including a said rod, a lever contacting said slidable member,

nozzle, supporting wheels, means movably mounting said wheels on said body, a handle pivoted to said body, and means to adjust said wheels relative to said body to raise and lower said nozzle, said-means including a longitudinally 5 movable rod in said handle provided with a wedging surface at its lower end, a manually rotatable member within the limits of said handle. cooperating means on said rotatable member and on said rod to move the latter longitudinally upon i0 the rotation of the former, a transversely movable member in the pivotal axis of said handle in contact with said wedging surface and adapted to be moved thereby, and movement transmitting means connecting said transversely movable 15 member to said wheel-supporting means to adjust said wheels relative to said body upon movement of said rod.

5. In a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle, supporting wheels, means pivotally mounting said wheels on said body, a handle, means pivotally mounting said handle on said body, said lastmentioned means including a hollow shaft at the pivotal axis, a spring-pressed plunger, in said 25 lsaid plunger against the force exerted by -said spring upon the movement of said'longitudinally movable element, and power-transmitting means between said plunger and the; mounting means for said wheels to pivot the latter upon the movement of the former. l

`6. In a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle, supporting wheels, a crank shaft pivotally 85 mounting said wheels on said body, a handle pivotally mounted on said body, a manually rotatable member at the upper end of said handle, a rod extended through said handle and movable longitudinally upon the rotation of said member, a n transversely slidable member in the pivotal axis of said handle, a wedge at'the lower end of said rod in contact with said slidable member toexert a moving force thereon upon the movement of a shaft pivotally connected to said lever and moved by the' movement thereof, and a lever carried by said crank shaft to which the opposite lencl of said shaft is pivoted and which is actuated by the movement of said shaft, said levers and 50 shaft functioning to pivot said crank shaft upon the movement of said slidable member. k

r'1. In a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle, supporting wheels, means mounting said wheels for vertical movement relative to said body t0 adjust the height of said nozzle, a handle pivotally mounted on said body, means to raise and lower said wheels relative to said body including a manually operable member at the upper end of said handle, and means to indicate the height of said nozzle relative to the supporting surface comprising a stationary indicating means carried by saidhandle and a movable element actuated by said manually operable member.

8. The construction recited Aby the preceding claim characterized by the fact 'that said indicating means is a pointer formed at a longitudinally extending slot in said handle and said movable element comprises a longitudinally slidable member in said handle and under said slot which is provided with markers upon its exposed surface which markers move toward and from said pointer as the slidable member is moved.

9. In a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle. supporting wheels, means movably mounting said wheels on said body, s, handle pivoted to said body, a. member slidable in the pivoted axis of said handle, manually adjustable means on said handle to move said member longitudinally of said pivoted axis, andmeans cooperating with said member to move said mounting means relative to said body upon. the movement oi said member.

i0. 1in combination in a suction cleaner, a body .having a nozzle, adjustable means to position said nozzle relative to a surface covering undergoing cleaning, a handle connected to and extended Afrom said body adapted to receive a propelling force, stationary nozzle-height-indicating means carried by said handle positioned at a distance from said body, movable nozzle-lieightindicating means carried by said handle and positioned in cooperative relationship to said stationary means, and ineans interconnecting said movable nozzleheigiit-indicating means to said adjustable means and adapted to nuove the former as the latter is' adjusted.'

il. In combination ina suction cleaner, a body having a nozzle, adjustable means to position said loody relative to a surface covering undergoing cleaning, a hollow handle connected to and en tended from said body and adapted to receive a propelling force, said handle being formed with an aperture at a point spaced from said body, movable body-position-indicating means mounted in said handle at said aperture, and means extended downwardly through said handle from said indicating means and operatively connected to said adjustable means and adapted to move said indicating means upon adjustment of sai adjustable means.

l2. in combination in a suction cleaner, a body including a nozzle, adjustable means to position said nozzle relative to a surface covering undergoing cleaning, a hollow handle pivotally connected to said body and adapted to receive a propelling force, said handle being formed with an aperture at a point spaced from said body, movable nozzle-heigl'it-indicating means lmounted in said handle at said aperture, means extending through said handle to its pivot point connected 20 to and adapted to move said indicating means,

and means connected to said adjustable means and to said means extended through said handle to transmit movement therebetween.

.confino of. SMELLIE. 

